(19)
(11) EP 1 659 399 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
09.08.2006 Bulletin 2006/32

(43) Date of publication A2:
24.05.2006 Bulletin 2006/21

(21) Application number: 05257104.9

(22) Date of filing: 17.11.2005
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
G01N 27/90(2006.01)
 G01B 7/28(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
AL BA HR MK YU

(30) Priority: 19.11.2004 US 993467

(71) Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Schenectady, NY 12345 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • Suh, Ui Won
    Cincinnati, Ohio 045241 (US)
  • Gambrell, Gigi Olive
    West Chester, Ohio 45069 (US)
  • Ertel, John William
    New Vienna, Ohio 45159 (US)
  • McKnight, William Stewart
    Hamilton, Ohio 45013 (US)

(74) Representative: Goode, Ian Roy et al
London Patent Operation General Electric International, Inc. 15 John Adam Street
London WC2N 6LU
London WC2N 6LU (GB)

   


(54) Methods and apparatus for testing a component


(57) A differential eddy current probe (100) for inspecting a component (52), said eddy current probe comprising:
a body portion (102) comprising an outer surface (104) and having a width (106), and a length (108) that is longer than said width;
a tip portion (110) extending from said body portion, said tip portion comprising an end (112) and an outer tip (114), said end extending between said body portion and said outer tip, said tip portion having a width (116) and a length (118), said tip portion width gradually decreases from said tip portion end to said outer tip, said tip portion length gradually decreases from said tip portion end to said outer tip; and
at least one differential pair of coils (130,132) mounted within said tip portion, each of said at least one pair of coils comprises a substantially cylindrical shape, at least a portion of each of said at least one pair of coils is positioned adjacent to said tip portion outer tip for generating a magnetic field that is substantially perpendicular to a surface of the component being inspected.







Search report